


Holiday Fever

by MistressTeal



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Holidays, Romance, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 00:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9048838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressTeal/pseuds/MistressTeal
Summary: A fluffy oneshot that takes place on Christmas and Therese falls sick.This is my first fic.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by the fact that I was extremely sick yesterday, but thankfully, I feel like a million bucks today.  
> I was typing most of this on my phone while laying in bed yesterday, while either passing out or falling asleep every half an hour or so.

Christmas had never been important to either women; to Therese, it was a holiday where she couldn’t take part in, but Carol promised her that she will have Therese experience what the holiday should be like – despite the fact that she spent every holiday and occasion pretending to be in the “holiday spirit” with Harge's family. After a certain age, it becomes obvious why the _Christmas Carol_ was written, nobody would celebrate this day if it weren't for the little fear of karma. 

 

* * *

 

A box of ornaments is laid out in front of Therese while she carefully hooks each little decoration onto the small tree next to the window. The repetitive motion is beginning to give her a headache. She paused for a brief moment to gaze outside the window before hearing a series of curses and the aggressive sound of paper being torn coming from their bedroom.  

“Carol?” 

“I'm okay, sweetheart!” Carol quickly replied. 

About an hour or so later, Carol proudly walked into the living room with a large wrapped box in her hands. Before she could say anything, her eyes fell to the window sill where Therese collapsed over. Quickly, she rushed to Therese's side and used her spare hand to brush Therese’s hair away from her face. Her hand briefly made contact with skin and she let out a gasp. 

“Therese… Therese…. Darling, wake up.”  Carol gently nudged her shoulder. 

Therese groaned and barely opened her eyes to meet Carol's concerned ones. Her head was pounding and heavy, she can feel her throat heating up. A pained whimper came out of her lips as she realized that she caught a flu. 

“You're burning up, let’s get you to bed, okay?” 

Thousands of thoughts ran through Therese’s mind. She tried to say no, that she was fine and that she could manage on her own – the way she did when she was little. But the second she managed to stand up, a flash of sore pain shot through her knees and she would have fell down if it weren't for Carol holding her up by the waist. It becomes quite clear to Carol that Therese isn't capable of walking on her own.  

Carol bent down to take Therese into her arms and carried her to the couch. This way, she decided, would be more convenient for both of them and she wasn't sure she would be able to carry Therese all the way to their bedroom. Therese clinged onto her as Carol tried to pull away.  

"Darling, I'm just going to go get a blanket for you. We don't want you to get any worse than you are now, do we?" Therese just nodded and lets go of Carol. She always hated being sick, she was always treated as a burden each time she falls sick despite the fact that life must go on as usual at the boarding school. Therese bit her quivering lips at the thought of ruining their Christmas and wasting all of Carol's efforts. 

"Shhh... what's wrong?" Carol put the blanket aside before holding Therese and soothingly rubbed her back. It then dawned upon her that this is the first time she has seen Therese sick and Therese spent her entire childhood in a boarding school, and later on, her first few adult years alone. The image of a young Therese being alone during the holidays in a boarding school flashed across Carol's mind. _It must have been so hard on her_ , she thought, and she held onto Therese. 

"Oww... My head hurts..."  

"Darling, maybe you should take some medicine. Do you want me to go get some medicine for you?" Carol pulled away. 

"No. No medicine. I don't want medicine." Therese whines. Carol couldn't help but smile at how adorable Therese is. 

"Okay, okay! No medicine it is then." Carol laughs. "Try to get some rest, hm?"  

Carol covered the both of them with the blanket. Therese rests her head on Carol's shoulder and closes her eyes, occasionally shifting positions. Before long, Therese fell asleep.  

Carol's mind drifted to other places. She wondered about Therese's childhood, was that what made her so independent? She wants to know everything about Therese. Her mind quickly flashes back to every moment she has spent with Therese. _My angel, I promise I will always take care of you and I will never leave you again,_ Carol presses a kiss against Therese's forehead. 

 

* * *

 

Therese stirs awake to daylight shining through their living room. She then remembered her fever last night and that she slept on the couch with Carol. 

"Slept well, sweetheart?" Carol looked down with a slight smirk. Therese, though somewhat horrified, hums in content. "Do you think you're well enough to celebrate Boxing Day?" 

A few moments later, Therese was holding a large box wrapped with a shiny blue paper and decorated with silver ribbons. Therese carefully undid the ribbons and pulled apart the wrapping paper, revealing the box of Lego's Winter Holiday Train set.  

"How do you like it?" 

Therese looks back at Carol and grins, showing her dimples.  

"I'm glad you don't have to miss Boxing Day. It's the best part of Christmas anyway." Carol winks. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the Lego holiday train. I always think of Carol whenever I pass the Lego store and see this train.  
> https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8443/29214446204_45894f0e84.jpg
> 
> Merry Christmas, everyone!


End file.
